The Association of Master Bakers and Caterers of Nigeria (AMBCON), has lamented over the high cost of baking materials in Nigeria.

Some members of the association spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in a separate interview in Abuja.

A member of the association identified as Ms Peace Izeduwa, Manager, Nextar Bakery, located in kubwa FCT, expressed worries over the impact of increasing prices of flour, sugar, yeast, and other baking materials.

Izeduwa said many bakeries might be forced to close down, due to increasing cost of production, and therefore, solicited for government’s intervention to address the issue and safeguard the industry.

She added that the recent 15 per cent increase in bread prices due to cost of production had already affected businesses in the FCT.

This, she said was sequel to the removal of fuel subsidy and the unification of the foreign exchange window, which affected transportation, goods, and services.

“Before now, the price of Mix and Bake Flour was N29,500, but has increased to N33,750, while same applies to other raw materials.

“It is not easy for bakery owners to increase prices of products the way the manufacturers increase the price of raw materials,” she added.

The Chairman of FCT Master Bakers, Ishaq Abdulrahman, appealed to bakers in the country not to give up.

“A lot of our members are already losing hope and confidence, we want the government to please look into the sector as its one of the biggest employer of labour.

“A bag of Prime Flour price in FCT might be between N39,000 and N40, 000, the government should at this point come to our rescue to enable us stay in the business,” he added.